


Broken Ground

by talkingtothesky



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Angst, Bitterness, Episode Related, Established Relationship, M/M, Season/Series 04, Self-Hatred
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-12
Updated: 2015-05-12
Packaged: 2018-03-30 07:17:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3927805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/talkingtothesky/pseuds/talkingtothesky
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A look at Reese's mindset from 4x18 Skip to 4x20 Terra Incognita.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Broken Ground

**Author's Note:**

> This ficlet is quite anti-Iris, I'm sorry.
> 
> Inspired by photonromance's gorgeous spanking fic [here](photonromance.tumblr.com/post/118757352452/i-did-promise-you-john-would-get-a-spanking). I like to think that after Terra Incognita Finch and Reese repaired their relationship offscreen, allowing them to go into the 2-part finale with a bit more caring. So shortly after this one ends, I imagine photon's begins. If that helps alleviate the angst levels somewhat.

_She's a threat to your cover_ , John remembers Harold warning him. He'd meant Silva, at the time, but John's all too aware that it applies to Iris too.

 

She's already guessed he's not a cop. But he really needed the therapy, had been getting a kind of perspective out of it. Harold had been right - it had given him some balance. John watches blankly as that safe space becomes something else.

 

If he kisses her, she'll stop asking questions. If she's getting what she wants she won't care so much about the why of it. He has to protect this cover identity to protect Harold from Samaritan.

 

It's just a matter of playing out the charade of a meaningful relationship even when there is zero feeling on his side. It's easy. He's been trained for this.

 

He'll never tell Finch that he's basically whoring himself out to protect him. Harold's been hanging around with Root so often he's probably started to think John's as much of a waste of air as she does.

 

His progress, his balance, the self-acceptance he had come to in therapy catastrophically collapses. He hates himself for betraying Harold with his body if not his mind. When Fusco tells him he makes a terrible cop, it's the last straw. John has to prove, to himself if no-one else, that he is capable of something worthwhile. Has to honour the memory of Joss Carter, who saw the goodness inside him, when he couldn't see it himself.


End file.
